For several months the sheep acquired under the Project LIFE no LIFE12 NAT/PL/000081 titled ”Protection of Non-forest Habitats in the Area of the Beskidy Landscape Parks” has been kept in warm sheepcotes. There the sheep is looking forward to fresh green grass in the pasture land and highland glades.

For longer than half a year, especially in the mountains, sheep is kept in the well-prepared closed space - sheepcotes. The owners of the sheepcotes, in which sheep is kept in winter, spare no effort to ensure proper conditions that influence the sheep health and productivity indeed.

Special sheepdogs watch over the sheep throughout the whole year long. The sheepdogs do not even step down in the winter season, allowing the sheep to sleep well. The dogs acquired under the Project are the certified pedigree Tatra sheepdogs. This dog breed is characteristic of high learning capacity, intelligence, and deeply rooted watchfulness and correct behaviour towards strangers, however, they do not show mindless aggression, which is the case with other dog breeds of that kind, thus they perfectly fit the role of guard dogs.

Sheep is distrustful but nosey - a man entering a sheepcote is right away raising the sheep’s interest. The sheep turns to the newcomer, keeping the watchful eyes on a tasty surprise. That is the moment when distrustfulness loses with curiosity that is taking up - especially in the long winter season – breaking up the monotony of the sheepcote walls and foreshowing a short adventure.

photo by ZPKWŚ

photo by ZPKWŚ

photo by ZPKWŚ